Another Year
by Alexandra-L-Lupin
Summary: Another year at Hogwarts with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and their friend Alex Lupin. Daughter of Tonks and Lupin. Slightly AU, I guess. Anyway, read and review, please, and tell me what you think. This is my first fic.
1. Chapter 1 The Hogwarts Express

Ok, this is my first fic, so sorry if it's bad

**(Ok, this is my first fic, so sorry if it's bad! **_**Harry Potter**_** belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me. )**

The platform was always the same. The same yowls of cats, the same shrieking of owls and younger siblings left behind. The same clacking of trolley wheels on brick. And of course, the same red steam engine, shining as if it had never once been used.

Alex tried to adjust her mind now to the idea of homework, so that it would not be such a shock to her system, but it still succeeded in catching her off-guard every school-year. Then she shook it from her mind—there would be a time for thinking about that, and the later it came, the better. She shouldn't start worrying earlier than she had to.

"Bye, Dad, bye Mum." Alex hugged them both tightly, then seized her luggage and towed it slowly towards the train. She reached the doors and pulled—it was stuck. "Help, Dad, please!" she called out to him. He and her mother hadn't left; typical parents. Her father walked, grabbed the other end of the trunk in his steady hands, and pushed up. Alex dragged it onto the train. "I'll be fine from here, thanks."

"You're welcome, Alexandra." He turned back to leave. Alex watched him go over to stand by her mother.

Alex pulled herself away and hefted her trunk down the train, glancing in each compartment to see who was there. Finally, her back aching with its weight, she found them, and dragged it in.

"Help, please?" she asked weakly. Alex, looking at the trunk, did not at first see who it was, and only felt half her load vanish. When it was safely stowed away, she panted and looked at her helper. "Hi, Harry," she said, "thanks."

"You're welcome, Al." He pat her on the back, and they both collapsed into opposite seats. "So how's your summer been?" he asked.

"Fine…" she looked into the air, as if she hoped fit find the right word hovering above her. She frowned. That was certainly true, but not thrilling. "Uneventful," she confessed. "And yours?"

"Fine. Been with Hermione and the Weasleys."

"Where _are _Ron and Hermione?" she asked. Only now did she notice their absence; being observant was difficult to do when you were struggling with a heavy object.

"Prefects," said Ginny. "They'll be here in a bit."

"Oh," said Alex. "I wonder if I'll be one next year… Oh, hi, Luna. Hi, Neville. Didn't notice you there."

Neville and Luna looked up from their mimbulus mimbletonia and Quibbler, respectively.

"Hello, Alex," said Luna.

"Hi," said Neville.

They had a wonderful rest of the ride, (except maybe for the part about the stinksap.)


	2. Chapter 2 Thestrals and Sorting

The five of them, Harry, Ginny, Neville, Luna and Alex, walked into the Great Hall. Everyone waved to Luna as she went to sit at her Ravenclaw table, while the rest of them went to sit at Gryffindor.

Everything was fine until Umbridge decided to speak.

By the end of her speech, the Hall had nearly fallen asleep.

"What was _that_?" asked Ron.

"The Ministry wants to take charge of the school!" Hermione muttered.

"So they sent _this_ bat to help them," agreed Alex. "This is not good. I can tell from here she's bad news."

The trio nodded.

"And we have her class tomorrow," said Harry.

"Yeah," said Ron.

"We'll make it through," sighed Alex. "Even if it means getting in a bit of trouble."

"Now why do you think that would be a problem for us?" Ron grinned. Hermione sighed.


	3. Chapter 3 Potions Class

1Alex and Ginny walked down in to the dimly-lit dungeons. Alex was very good at Potions, even if Snape would never acknowledge it. How many times had she presented a perfect potion, only to be met with nothing to show for it but a curt scowl? Slytherins got dozens of House points for their mediocre work.

They arrived in the dungeon, and took their places at the edge of the classroom. Class started.

"Today we will be making a potion to make the drinker gullible. I know those of you in Gryffindor House have little need for this," he smiled cruelly, "instructions are on page three-hundred and four of your books. You may begin."

Alex light her fire and started to measure ingredients.

"Is this enough powdered salamander tail?" Ginny asked her.

Alex squinted. "A bit more, I think." Ginny nodded. Alex would know the answer.

The period stretched on, and with five minutes left, Alex had nearly finished. Her potion was deep maroon, like the text had said it should be. Ginny's was slightly purpler than it probably should have been, and most of the Slytherin cauldrons were full of thick green sludge– though she was sure that even that mess would earn more points for Slytherin than Snape had ever given to a Gryffindor like her.

Finally, the class was over. Alex corked her potion in a small purple flask with her initials embossed on the side, and put it on Snape's desk at the head of the room. Snape glared at her as she left the desk, clearly not enthused at her skill.

Gathering their belongings, Alex and Ginny left the Potions classroom.

"Why does he never give me any points for my work?" Alex said.

"I know it's ridiculous," agreed Ginny, "you're brilliant at it." She sighed.

"Idiot," said Alex. "And now we have Umbridge to raise our spirits." She retched. Ginny laughed.

"That's the Alex I know," she smiled, "laugh at it and it will all go away." Alex smiled.


	4. Chapter 4 Umbridge

Alex's first class of the school year was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Umbridge

Alex's first class of the school year was Defense Against the Dark Arts with Professor Umbridge. Alex just knew there was something wrong concealed behind her wide, toadish smile. She took a seat beside Ginny, at the very back of the room.

"Welcome, fourth years," the professor said sweetly, "to my Defense Against the Dark Arts class." She strode throughout the room, smiling into each of their eyes. "It is my understanding that your education in my subject has been sub-par. After all, what can you expect from frauds and half-breeds?" She nodded politely at Ginny, then Alex, her eyes lingering on the latter for a moment longer than she had looked at anyone else. "I am here to teach you a complete, new, ministry-approved curriculum." She looked at the wands out on each desk. "There will be no need for wands today. Please put them away."

Alex raised her hand.

"Yes, miss…"

"Lupin," said Alex, glaring.

"Miss Lupin," repeated the toad, pushing a fat hand into her pink pocket, "what would you like to say to the class?"

"I would like to say," said Alex hotly, "that some teachers, despite their obstacles, can be better than others can _hope _to be."

"Miss Lupin," said Umbridge, "it would be prudent of you to stop challenging your superiors."

"It would be prudent of _you _to watch what you say about people's fathers," Alex retorted, "especially mine."

"Miss Lupin," said Umbridge, most of the honey gone from her voice, "I will see you in detention every day this week." Her smile perceptibly broadened, and she turned back to the class.


	5. Chapter 5 Lunch

"Argh

"_Argh!_" Alex marched outside, and punched the stone wall. Bad idea. She shook her fist in the air to relieve the pain.

"Oh, _Alex,_" said Ginny, "I'm sorry that hag insulted your dad. She had no right to!"

"Damn right she didn't!" Alex seethed, absentmindedly nursing her injured hand to her chest. "Who does she think she is? That stupid toad!"

Ginny nodded along with everything she said, being the obedient best friend. "And he was the best teacher we've ever had!" Alex nodded.

"Let's go to lunch," Alex grumbled, "I've worked up an appetite putting up with jerks." She scowled.

"Come on, Al," Ginny said, "where's your sense of humor? A laugh is the cure for everything, remember?" Alex smiled. It was good to have friends like Ginny.

"Everything but dragon pox." Alex grinned, and put her arm on Ginny's shoulder. "Thanks." The pair trotted off to lunch, and joined Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred and George at the Gryffindor table.

"Hey, guys." Ginny and Alex said in unison, sitting on either side of Harry.

"Hey, Alex, Ginny," Harry said as he put down his chicken.

"Hi," said Ron through a mouth full of food. Hermione rolled her eyes in annoyance and greeted them as well.

"'Sup, girls." Fred said, nodding his head at them. George followed suit.

Alex loaded her plate with chicken, rice, and broccoli. She brushed her bright red hair out of her face and tucked into her meal.

"Well, well, well, what have we here?" drawled a very familiar voice.

Alex nearly spit out her mouthful of food and turned to glare at the older Slytherin with brilliant blue eyes. "Malfoy," she said after she swallowed the last of her mouthful. "I thought I smelled you coming this way."

Malfoy sneered at her, "I heard what Umbridge said about your half-breed father." He snorted, "I like her."

Alex stood up in anger, "at least my father's not a filthy Death Eater!"

Harry stood up as well, "get out of here, Malfoy."

"The problem with that, Potter, is that I don't think I want to." He strode a few steps down the table and back to demonstrate.

"That was a demand, not a request," said Alex threateningly.

"Oh yeah? And what can you do about it, Lupin?" She growled, pulling out her wand and pointing it at Malfoy's heart. Malfoy backed away from her slowly, trying to keep the traces of fear from his eyes. "Fine. I have to leave, anyway." With that, he stalked off.

Alex felt triumphant, sitting back down. "Nice one, Al." Fred and George said, "impressive."

"Yeah! Brilliant!" Harry exclaimed, also taking a seat. "Wish you could do that to Umbridge for us."

"So do I," sighed Alex. "But I can't risk it. I've already got detention with her all this week."

"Ugh, so do I," Harry responded, stabbing a piece of chicken with his fork. "At least we won't be lonely."

Alex perked up at this, though she knew she shouldn't. "Yeah."

She finished her meal, then pulled out a small pocket mirror from her bag. "I think it would look better black today, wouldn't it?" She squinted until there was a small 'pop!' and her hair darkened. "How's that?" she asked Hermione and Ginny, smiling at their nods of approval. "Good. C'mon, Ginny, we have Charms." She said, standing up and stowing away the mirror.

She and Ginny left.


End file.
